Chain-machine.



F. P. CADY.

CHAIN MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 31, 1909.

1,032,738. Patented July 16, 1912.

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213 mvzm'on WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 50-. WASHINGTON, D. C.

P. P. GADY.

QHAIN MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.31, 1909.

1,032,738. Patented July 16, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR M9 zm/nm i I- 36 ,.az

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CBLUMBIA FMNOGDAFH C41. WASHINDTON. D. G

RPQGADY.

CHAIN MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. a1, 1909.

1,03%738' Patented Ju1y16,1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET a.

cowmnm PLANOGHAI'N co, WASHINGTON, I). c.

F. P. GADY.

CHAIN MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1909.

1,032,738, Patented July16,1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

NESSES fruzmgTon C LUMBM PLANOOHAPl i CO" WASHINGTON, D. C.

F. P. GADY.

CHAIN MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 31, 1909.

Patented July 16, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

INVENTOR M Q COLUMBIA PLANOK IRAI'H 00.,wAsmNa1'oN. D. C

FRANK P. CADY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CHAIN-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented uly 16, 1912.

Application filed August 31, 1909. Serial No. 515,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. CADY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Chain-Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for making wire chain andtheprincipal objectis to provide an improved automatic machine for thispurpose adapted to take the wire from the coil, automatically form thelinks, and turn out the finished chain.

Another object of my invention is to pro- 'ide a machine of thischaracter which is made up of comparatively simple mechanisms requiringa minimum of attention on the part of the operator and which may beconstructed at a low cost.

1n the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chainmachine embodying my improvement; Fig. 2 a top plan vlew thereof; Fig. 3a top plan view in detail of the loop forming mechanism, with the wirein position as first-fed in; Fig. 1 a view showing the position of theloop forming parts with the wire for a chain link as bent in the firstoperation; Fig. 5 a similar view showing the wire with the loop formed;Fig. 6 a detail View in elevation illustrating the chain link at thecompletion of offsetting operation; Fig. 7 a detail view in elevation ofthe mechanism for tying the link loop, in the initial position forturning up the ends of the link wire; Fig. 8 a detail view, partly insection, of the mechanism for forming up the chain link, in the initialposition; Fig. 9 a similar view showing the position of the parts, withthe link completed; F 10 a similar view, the link having been partlyformed; Fig. 11 a detail interior view of the mechanism for forming upthe ends of the link wire; Fig. 12 a detail view in part of a tool forforming up the ends of the link wire showing the wire as bent on thefirst movement of the tool; Fig. 13 a similar view, showing thecompleted tying of the loop; Fig. 14 an elevational view of a modifiedform of the construction shown in Fig. '7; Fig. 15 anelevation of themecha nism for operating the proper slide; Fig. 16 a side elevationalview of the wire cutting mechanism; Fig. 17 a plan view of same; Fig. 18an end view thereof; and Fig. 19 a view of the feed rolls showing thearrange-I ment of the feed sections.

pressure.

In its more general aspect, the machine comprises, as shown in thedrawings,amain frame 1, preferably mounted in an upright or verticalposition on legs 2, a main operating shaft 3, mounted in suitablebearings 4 on the legs 2 and provided with a gear 5. A driving shaft 6is also mounted in bearings on the legs 2 and is provided with a pinion7 adapted to mesh with the gear 5 on shaft 3 and having suitable tightand loose pulleys 8 and 9 respectively.

The main shaft 3 carries two outer cylindrical cams 10, and inner sidecams 11 and 12, the cam grooves 13 in the cams 10 being adapted to guiderollers on the ends of lever arms 14, pivotally mounted betweenstandards 15 carried by the main frame 1, the arms 14 being adapted tooperate the loop forming mechanisms. The side cam 12 is provided with aside groove 16, within which a cam roller, mounted on the end of thelever arm 17, operates. Similarly a lever arm 18 is provided with aroller for en gaging the side groove of cam 11 as more clearly shown inFig. 15. The lever arm 17 is pivotally mounted between standards (notshown) carried by the frame 1 and is provided at its opposite end withgear teeth 19 adapted to mesh with gear teeth 20 on a slide 21. Theframe 1 is provided with suitable guide bearings in which the slide 21is mounted to have a vertical reciprocating movement, the slide beingfor the purpose of operating the wire end turning tools and the closingin tool for forming the chain link, as shown in Fig. 7. The lever arm 18is similarly pivotally mounted between standards 22 and is provided withgear teeth adapted to mesh with gear teeth on an upper slide 23,suitably mounted to reciprocate vertically in guide hearings in the mainframe 1.

At one end of the machine wire feed rolls 2 1 and 25 are provided, theroll 24 being rotatively mounted in a rigid bracket 26 on the leg 2, andthe roll 25 being similarly mounted in a frame 27, which in turn ismounted on a pivot pin 28 held in place by lugs 29 secured to the leg 2.Screw/s30 provided with adjusting nuts 31 are secured to the rigidbracket 26 and pass through the movable frame 27, so that by adjustingthe nuts 31, the feed rolls may be caused to grip the wire, in feeding,with the desired The lower feed roll 24 is operatively connected to abevel gear 32 adapted .sidered.

Figs. 3 and-6 of the drawings, the loop to mesh with a bevel gear 33secured to the end of the main shaft- 3. The feed rolls 24 and 25 areprovided with inter-meshing gear teeth, so that when the machine isoperated the wire is fed into the machine thereby. The feed rolls 24 and25 respectively are provided with segmental grooved feed sections 85 and86 of the usual construction, as shown in Fig. 19, whereby the length.of wire fed out at each revolution thereof is determined by the relativeadjustment of the sections 85 and 86. In order to ad just the feedsections, the same are provided with slots 87 through which projectbolts 88 secured to the feed rolls 24 and 25. By loosening the bolts 88a feed section may be slipped around on one of the central supportinghubs 89 until the desired length of contact between the two sections 85and 86 is secured. Said feed sections are provided with grooves on theirouter periphery within which the wire is gripped as the contactingportions of the feed sections are rotated.

A wire straightener 34 of any desired construction may be located inadvance of the feed rolls, for straightening the wire as it. is drawninto the machine by the feed rolls.

The general construction of the machine having now been described, themechanism for forming the chain link will now be con- Referring moreparticularly to forming mechanism comprises vertical spindles 35, firmlysecured in position in lugs 36 secured to the frame 1 and extendingthrough hollow shafts 37, mounted in bearings 38. On the shafts 37intermediate the bearings 38 are secured gears 39 which are adapted tomesh with gear segments 40 on the ends of the lever arms 14. Thestationary spindles 35 are provided with holes into which pins 41secured in bars 42 are adapted to descend. The bars 42 are held in placein the upper slide 23, so that upon movement of the slide, the pins 41descend and enter into the spindle holes. The holes are locatedeccentrically with respect to and on a line through the axes of thespindles 35. In the end of each hollow shaft 37 is secured a roundforming pin 43 and a substantially triangular pin 44. Intermediate thespindles 35 and somewhat below the top surface thereof a plug 45 securedto the face of the main frame, is mounted. The plug 45 is verticallychanneled centrally and the channel is provided with vertical groovesinto which the wire of the chain link is guided as it is being formed.Centrally the lower slide 21 carries an upwardly extending ofiset arm46, the upper end of which is slotted 'for a pivotally mounted linkbending tool 47, which is adapted to extend outwardly in an inclinedposition, a compression spring 48 being provided which tends to maintainfaces.

said tool in its outward position. The bend ing end of the tool 47 isgrooved out so as to fit over the two end loops of the chainlink whenbrought together in the formedlink. Pivotally mounted on a pin49 passingthrough the arm 46 are bars 50 on either side of said arm and in theupper ends of the bars are firmly secured loop end bending tools 51,which project inwardly toward the frame of the machine. The tools 51 areprovided with V shaped side recesses 52 atthe ends and with grooves 53on the lower Springs 54 secured at one end to fixed supports 55 attachedto the lever 46 have their opposite ends secured to the bars 50 and tendto move the bars 50 outwardly about the pivot pin 49. Intermediate thelower ends of the bars 50 a guide finger 56 is pivotally mounted, theinner end thereof being adapted to engage a fixed pin 57 secured to thebars 50 and thereby limit up ward movement of the finger. The outer endof the finger 56 is provided with a teat 58, adapted to engage a camsurface of a cam plate 59. The inner lower ends of. the bars 50 arebeveled as shown at 60 and a spring pressed pin 61 arranged within a 1socket of a holder 62 is adapted to bear against the inner face of thebars 50. The upper, slide 23 is provided with a pocket in which aremounted a knife 90, spacing block 95, bars 42 carrying pins 41, bars 66,and a central guide bar 67, as shown in Fig. 6. The functions of theabove mentioned tools will be more fully described hereinafter, Asupporting bracket 63 is mounted on the face of the main frame andcarries a knife block 64, through which the wire is adapted to feed, asuitable cutter bar of knife 90 being secured in the upper slide 23 inposition to engage the shearing face of the block 64, so as to cut offthe wire to the proper length necessary to form the chain link, as shownin Figs. 16, 17 and 18.

In the operation of the machine, the .wire 65 is drawn through the wirestraightener 34 by the feed rolls 24 and 25 and thence passes throughthe block 64, the parts being'so located that the wire then feedsoutbetween the pins 41 and 43. The wire continues to be fed out by thefeed rolls until the proper length of wire is provided to form a chainlink. A stop block 91 is preferably provided in the path of the wire,against which the wire abuts just as the proper length has been fed out,the stop in this way. As the slide 23 descends the pins 11 enter theholes in the spindles 35, the pin ends being preferably chamfered off,so that in case the wire is not ex actly in position the same will beengaged by the chamfered ends and will be pushed over to the properposition. Upon the entrance of the pins a1 in their receiving holes, thecams 10 are so timed as to cause the lever arms 14 to rotate the hollowshafts 37 slightly in a clockwise direction. This causes the pins 13 toengage the wire (35 and bend the same to the position shown in Fig. 4.Just at this time the slide 23 has descended far enough so that theknife cuts off the wire at the left hand side, and the detached linkwill stand as shown in Fig. 1. The further movement of the cams 10 isnow adapted to reverse the rotative movement of the hollow shafts 37, sothat the triangular pins 14 engage the wire (35 and turn the wire endsin a counter clockwise direction. This movement continues until the endloop is formed up to the position shown in Fig. 5. It should here benoted that the pins 4 1 are so set that when in the final position ofFig. 5 the apex of the pins slightly bite into the wire, so that theloop is tightly wound around the pins 41, the pins 411 beingeccentrically placed in the spindles 35, in order to permit the aboveaction. Just at this time, the slide 21 is held in such a position bythe cam 12 that the wire ends of the loops, as they are wound around thepins 41, turn into the recesses 52 in the tools 51. Fig. 7 shows thenear side tool 51 broken 'away, so that the recess 52 of the far sidetool is seen, with the wire end in position. The slide 21 is now causedto ascend by the action of the cam 12, so that the tools 51 carry up theends of the loops to the position shown in Fig. 12, the bars 50 beingheld vertically rigid by means of the finger 56 which at this time movesalong the flat lower portion of the cam plate 59. As the upward movementof the slide 21 continues the finger 56 engages the outwardly curvedportion of the cam plate, so that the bars 50 are rocked on their pivotpins 19, and the tools 51 are forced inwardly, turning the wire endsdown on top of the link, as shown in Fig. 18. When the tools 51 reachthis position, the upper slide is bumped slightly downwardly by theoperating cam. The tools 51 having entered into a position in which bars66 secured in the upper slide are adapted to engage the upper faces ofthe tools 51, as shown in Fig. 6, the wire ends are firmly pressed downagainst the chain link. By the same operation the central portion of thelink is depressed, so that the end loops of the link are slightly offsetwith respect to said central portion.

Between the bars 66 is a guide bar 67, which is provided with a groove68 on its lower face and a central channel 69. The

tion shown in Fig. 9.

link wire is held in position in the grove 68. The slide 21 now startsto descend, and the bending tool 47 enters the channel 69 in itsdownward movement, engages the wire 65, and forces the same downwardly.The upper slide at the same time begins to ascend, so that as the wire65 bends centrally, the slide 23 moves its forming tools out of the wayof the upwardly moving loop ends. In its downward movement, the wire 65engages the rounded corners of the groove or channel in the plug 15, asshown in Fig. 10, and the link is thus formed up to the posi- In makingthe next succeeding link the operations hereinbefore described arerepeated, except that now the first formed link is in the positionshown'in Fig. 9 so that as the next link wire feeds out it passes through theloops of the first link. Furthermore, when the bending tool 17 comesdown it engages the top portions of the link loops as shown in Fig. 10.While the tools 51 are being bumped by the bars (36, the teat 58 of thefinger 56 engages in a shallow recess 70 in the cam plate 59, so that aslight vertical rocking movement of the bars 50 and the tools 51 ispermitted, while still holding the tools up to their work. As the upperslide 23 starts to ascend, the lower slide 21 also ascends, and thefinger 56 is thus permitted to drop inwardly to the upper dottedposition shown in Fig. 7. The upper portions of the bars 50 and thetools 51 are thus swungoutwardly by.

means of the springs 54, so that as the lower slide 21 descends to itsstarting position, the tools 51 are clear of the other mechanism, thefinger 56 flipping by the projecting part of the cam plate 59. In thedown ward movement of the bars 50, the inclines 60 thereon engage thepins 61 and thereby the bars are shifted back to their verticalposition, as shown in full lines.

In Fig. 11 is illustrated the manner in which the tools 51 are held inplace, the bars 50 being channeled, with an undercut face against whichthe tools bear and. wedge blocks being provided for securely clampingthe tools in place.

Instead of the construction shown in Fig. 7, I may employ a constructionsuch as illustrated in Fig. 1 1 of the drawings in which the bars 50 aremounted on a pin 49 as in the construction shown in Fig. 7, but in placeof the cam plate 59 and the finger 56 for operating the bars 50, a.wrlst-plate 76 is mounted intermediate the extreme ends of the bars 50upon a pin 77. A connecting rod 78 is secured to the wrist-plate 76 andhas its opposite end pivotally connected to a lever arm 79. On the shaft3, an additional cam 80 is secured and 'a roll on the one end of thelever arm 79 is adapted to operate in a cam groove or channel 81 in thecam 80. The lever arm 79 rocks on a pivot pin 82,

and the groove 81 is so laid out that the desired movement of the bars50 and tool 47 is secured upon rotation of the cam. By means of thisconstruction, the bars 50 are operated more positively and the springs5st may be dispensed with for returning the bars to normal position.

It will now be seen that the machine is adapted to take the wire fromthe coil and automatically turn out the chain complete. It will furtherbe evident that the tools liable to wear are readily accessible for thepurposes of adjustment and replacement.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let-- ters Patent is 1. In a chain machine, the combinationwith mechanism for feeding and cutting off the wire blank necessary toform a chain link, of loop pins and a pair of rotatable shafts, eachprovided with a forming pin for making an oifset bend in the wire blankand another forming pin for completing a loop about one of said looppins.

2. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding andcutting off the wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of areciprocating slide provided withloop pins spaced apart, forming pinsadapt ed to engage the opposite ends of the wire blank out off by saidmechanism and make offset bends thereon, and additional forming pins forfinishing the loops about said loop pins.

8. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding andcutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of a reciprocatingslide carrying loop pins spaced apart, spindles provided with holes forreceiving the loop pins upon movement of the slide and rotatable shaftsprovided with projecting portions for engaging and bending the wirearound the loop pins to form loops on the ends of the wire.

4. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding andcutting off the wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of means forforming loops on the ends of the wire blank, a member provided with aforming slot, and a reciprocating forming tool adapted to centrallyengage the wire blank and force the same into said forming slot to formthe link loop.

5. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding andcutting off the wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of areciprocating slide provided with loop pins, means for forming loops onthe ends of the wire blank, bending tools for off; setting the portionof the chain link between the loops, a member provided with a formingslot, and a forming too-l adapted to engage the central portion of thewire blank and force the wire int-o the forming slot to thereby form thelink loop with the end loops parallel to each other and in engagement.

6. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding andcutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for formingloops at the ends of the wire comprising loop pins, rotatable shaftsprovided with pins adapted upon rotation of said shafts in one directionto first ofiset the wire, and loop forming pins adapted upon rotation ofsaid shafts in the opposite direction to then form the loops.

7. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding andcutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for formingloops on the ends of the wire and a reciprocating slide, a membermounted on said slide, means for imparting a movement to said membertransverse to that of the slide, and tools carriedby said member andadapted to engage and bend the wire loop ends around the link wire inone operation upon movement of said slide.

8. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding andcutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for formingloops on the ends of the wire, a reciprocating slide, bars pivotallymounted on said slide and provided with tools adapted to engage the wireends after formation of the loops and bend same substantially at a rightangle to the body portion of the loop, and a cam plate adapted to impartan oscillatory movement to said bars as said slide reciprocates tothereby cause 'the tools to bend the wire ends around the link wire.

9. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding andcutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for formingloops on the ends of the wire, tools for first bending the wire ends ofthe loops around the link wire, and reciprocating means for thenengaging said tools to thereby press the wire ends firmly intoengagement with the link wire.

.10. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feedingand cutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means forforming loops on the ends of the wire, tools for first bending the wireends of the loops around the link wire, and recip- "'ocating means forthen engaging said tools to thereby press the wire ends firmly intoengagement with the link wire and at the same time offset that portionof the link wire lying between the loops.

11. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding andcutting offwire necessary to form a chain link, of means for formingloops on the ends of the wire, a plug having a channel disposedtransversely with respect to the link wire, and a reciprocatingmechanism provided with a tool adapted to centrally engage the link Wireupon formation of the loops and push the Wire through the channel tothereby form up the chain link With the end loops in alinement.

12. In a chain machine, the combination With mechanism for feeding andcutting off the Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of loop pins,rotatable shafts, and forming pins carried by said rotatable shafts andadapted to engage the Wire blank upon rotation of the shafts and turnthe ends of the Wire blank around the loop pins, said loop pins beingeccentrically positioned with respect to the rotative axes of theshafts, so that the forming pins approach the loop pins in the rotativemovement and finally pinch the Wire blank between the forming pin andthe loop pin.

13. In a chain machine, the combination With mechanism for feeding andcutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of rotatablepins for forming complete loops on opposite ends of said Wire blank anda reciprocating slide device provided With tools for first bending theWire ends of the loops around the link Wire and a tool for then bendingthe Wire blank intermediate the loops to form the chain link.

14. In a chain machine, the combination With mechanism for feeding andcutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of rotatablepins adapted to first bend the opposite ends of said Wire blank aboutthe loop pins to form loops, and a reciprocating slide device providedWith tools for then Wrapping the projecting ends of the Wire blankaround the link Wire in the movement of the slide device in onedirection and a tool for then engaging the link Wire to form the chainlink upon movement of the slide device in the opposite direction.

15. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding andcutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of rotatablepins for forming loops on opposite ends of said Wire blank, areciprocating slide carrying tools for engaging the ends of the Wireblank after forming the loops to bend the same about the link Wire, andmeans for imparting a movement to said tools transverse to thereciprocating movement to effect a further bending of the Wire endsaround the link Wire.

16. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding andcutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of means forforming loops on opposite ends of said Wire blank with the ends of saidloops projecting, a reciprocating slide, levers pivotally mounted onsaid slide and carrying tools adapted to engage said projecting ends toWrap the same around the link Wire, and means for imparting a rockingmovement to said levers upon movement of the reciprocating slide tothereby complete the Wrapping of said ends around the link Wire.

17 In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding andcutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of areciprocating slide device, a member provided With a slot, a toolpivotally mounted on said slide device and adapted to engage said \vireblank and force same through said slot to form the chain link uponmovement of the slide device in one direction, said tool being adaptedto move on its pivot in the movement of the slide in the oppositedirection and thereby pass over obstructions in its path.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK P. CADY.

Witnesses:

PAUL C. GADY, PETER J. BYRNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' v Washington, D. C.

